Blogging Around: Another Random Edition

6 Inspiring Tales of Friendship in the Middle of Brutal Wars: "right in the heat of battle, sympathy and simple human kindness breaks through." I knew most of these but not all. Each is inspiring and worth remembering. (Language warning, this is a Cracked.com story.)

The Year of Faith: "The Holy Father has written a new apostolic letter for the induction of the Year of Faith. The Year of Faith will start on 11 October 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. As always this is well-worth reading as is everything from our catechist-Pope." Via The Curt Jester.

12 Year Olds Embodying Something Greater: "And you know what? Instead of making the scared newly 12-year-old boy walk a block home in the dark, imagining flesh-eating zombies in shadows, every single boy offered to walk him back to his house.

Together." A wonderful story from Rambling Follower.

Toast: A Coming of Age Story - the movie. A review that makes it sound much more interesting than the book ever did ... and I love Nigel Slater's cookbooks.

Robert Downey, Jr. Asks Hollywood to Forgive Mel Gibson: “I asked Mel to present this award for me for a reason,” he said. “When I couldn’t get sober, he told me not to give up hope and encouraged me to find my faith. It didn’t have to be his or anyone else’s as long as it was rooted in forgiveness. And I couldn’t get hired, so he cast me in the lead of a movie that was actually developed for him. He kept a roof over my head and food on the table and most importantly he said if I accepted responsibility for my wrongdoing and embraced that part of my soul that was ugly – hugging the cactus he calls it — he said that if I hugged the cactus long enough, I’d become a man.”

An astounding story of mutual good will and forgiveness. It is so unlikely that I had to click around and make sure it wasn't a spoof when I read about it at Why I Am Catholic. Frank not only provides links to stories but his own take on this remarkable tale, which is one for all Christians.